Everywhere Walt Weiss has gone, success has followed. Rookie of the year. World Series champion. Eight playoff berths. High school fields named in his honor. "Accidental" run-ins with rock star Bruce Springsteen. Weiss has a way about him, a way of producing results.
But to have seen him last Aug. 9 in the Rockies' dugout, his anger palpable after a 1-9 road trip, it was fair to wonder whether the challenge of going from Regis Jesuit High School to managing in the major leagues was too much.
Weiss conducted his only team meeting of the 2013 season that day, a watershed event he believes helped the Rockies finished with some fight, allowing them to enter spring training with optimism not held since 2010. Team owner Dick Monfort told fans on Twitter last week that if healthy, the Rockies will win 90 games this year. Weiss is careful not to predict a record — the Rockies haven't been in the playoffs since 2009 — but he isn't shying away from the confidence his boss espoused after an offseason roster makeover.
"Usually everyone's expectations are high in spring. I don't want to throw a number out there. Some had us last year at 52 wins and some at 80. We are in better shape to handle what the season throws out," said Weiss, who received a three-year contract extension in October. "We are just deeper. You have to pitch to win, and we got better on the mound. I think we are going to be pretty good."
The Rockies spent 27 days in first place last season, the last time May 25. They were 4½ games behind the first-place Dodgers at the all-star break. After June 23, the Rockies were never above .500. They finished 74-88, in last place in the National League West for the second consecutive year. Weiss doesn't need to be reminded of those ugly numbers.
He knows his club was fragile and got nothing out of the fourth and fifth starters in the rotation, and that the bullpen imploded, overwhelmed by an injury to Rafael Betancourt and the ineffectiveness of Matt Belisle and Wilton Lopez.